2013 Ford Escape Problems

Car caught fire in engine, near transmission

Vehicle: 2013 Ford Escape SEL (1.6L EcoBoost) Approximate current Mileage: 134,646 miles System: Engine / Engine Cooling / Powertrain Incident Description: I am filing this complaint to report a severe and systemic safety defect regarding the 1.6L EcoBoost engine in my 2013 Ford Escape. The vehicle is experiencing catastrophic internal coolant intrusion, a known defect where coolant leaks past the head gasket and directly into the engine's combustion cylinders. Professional mechanical diagnostics have explicitly confirmed that engine coolant is pooling on top of piston #2. I have also experienced unexplained coolant loss with no external leaks and sudden engine overheating warnings. As of today, the vehicle's drivability has severely deteriorated, escalating this from a mechanical failure to a serious safety hazard. I cannot drive the vehicle for more than 5 miles before experiencing a severe loss of acceleration and engine power. While the engine does not completely stall or shut off, the vehicle heavily hesitates and refuses to accelerate as needed. Because we reside in [XXX], a region with steep hills and constant inclines, this inability to maintain safe driving speeds under load creates a life-threatening collision risk in traffic. Furthermore, the coolant in the combustion chamber puts the engine at immediate risk of hydro-locking or catching fire due to severe overheating. This manufacturer defect has effectively rendered the vehicle inoperable and unsafe to drive. It is placing a severe financial and logistical burden on my family, as we are now forced to rely entirely on our secondary vehicle for our daily livelihood, work commutes, and family transport. Ford's failure to recall and address this engine block defect has created an unacceptable danger on the road. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The shifter wouldn't go into park or start in park had to put in neutral to start it, was at a gas pump and the car started moving on its own had to jump in and pull the emergency brake to stop it and the vehicle was off, also the backup camera is upside down had it fixed but it goes right back upside down.

Transmission stopped working. It completely disengaged and i was unable to move the vehicle in the middle of an intersection. This created a potentially fatal breakdown.

I took my car in for a safety recall for the bushing on the transmission. A short time after getting it back my cabin filled with smoke when I used the remote start. I had never had this problem until it came back from the dealer. so I stopped using the remote start! but after that the car's cabin began filling with acrid smoke whenever it idled for more than a minute. It now fills with smoke when sitting at a stop sign or in slow traffic, so i have to open the windows to breathe! On top of that the transmission started slipping in park again! I don't think they actually fixed it. and that they may have caused the smoke problem. there are no warning lights going on. I am [XXX] and on socsec. I need my car to be safe! I have been dealing with this for a while now because I don't trust the dealer now. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the passenger seated in the front passenger's seat became aware of smoke inside the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the contact was informed that the engine cover had cracked and that there was an oil leak coming from the engine. The independent mechanic cleaned up the oil from underneath the engine and became aware that the wires and additional parts underneath the engine were burned. The contact was informed that there had been a fire underneath the engine. The contact was informed that the vehicle could have caught on fire. The contact referenced an unknown recall, but the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that on three separate occasions, the steering wheel became firm while driving. There was no warning light illuminated. Due to the failure, excessive effort was needed to steer the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle with a defective power steering rack, and the contact was provided an estimate for the repair. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.

Failed part: Electronic Steering Gear Assembly. Starting January 15th 2026 this car began having steering problems, since then it has occurred 2 more times. I immediately determined this car was undrivable because it seemed to be locked but in each situation (1) I was parked along side a curb in (2) a parking lot (3) or in other non-dangerous locations. Had I been driving on a street or highway I am certain I would have crashed. The first time this occurred I stopped turned off the engine, restarted it which unlocked it so I was able to continue safely, in the following 2 incidents this action did not work. On one occasion I stopped at a Ford Dealership & Service Center, described the issue to the agent who stated it sounds like the above assembly. I did not leave it because I was driving my other car. Upon returning home I took it in for service at my local mechanic. He detected code U3000-53 for the Power Steering. I authorized repair. No warning lights appeared on the console displays. Note 2 Invoices attached. My repair invoice is the one totaling $3,471 printed 03/04/2026 but please refer to earlier on printed 02/24/2026 (original quote) because it includes additional details.

This Ford Escape has had numerous issues with coolant leaks leading to total engine failure on October 2025. The vehicle is unrepairable with the turbo being damaged and is no longer on the road

The coolant leaks into the engine. I had the coolant container replaced as well as the coolant bypass valve.Coolant still leaks into the engine and container has to be filled every day. It’s unsafe to drive. It stalls. The mechanic says it’s dangerous and to get another car but I can’t. There is a class action for same issue. Coolant leak has destroyed the engine making it unsafe to drive. I can’t afford another car for my kids and I. Mechanic says his mom had same issue with her ford escape and it’s a fatal engine flaw and u safe to drive. This has been a problem since I purchased the car. I finally could afford to get the new container thinking that was the leak problem but it wasn’t. Then the coolant bypass valve broke too. I’ll put the date the repairs were made but this has been a problem with coolant contaminating the engine forever.

Car has been having problems immediately with the turbocharger which then seemed fine once taken in. Only to turn around and have the transmission go out. Once again, it was taken in and was reported that there is no transmission dipstick. It is going into limp mode due to slippage detected from the B clutch pack. There is a low chance that flushing out the fluid could buy the transmission some more time, but a large amount of clutch material has been worn off the internal transmission clutch packs and is saturating the fluid. Therefore needing an entire replacement of the transmission.

UNKNOWN

Right passenger door came unlatched while driving. Had to manually keep the door shut while driving.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his foot was depressing the accelerator pedal, the back of the contact’s foot would strike the brake pedal due to a reduced clearance between the accelerator and brake pedals. The contact stated that failure restricted the ability to properly depress the brake pedal while driving at highway speeds. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V319000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic, Structure); and related the failure to the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 124,000.

The anti-lock brake system is no longer available. When I start the car, a warning comes on that the Uphill assist is unavailable. Other lights come on concerning the brakes. I have contacted my repair shop and they have contacted the FORD dealership and have been told that presently there is no fix available. I understand this failure may be on other Ford Escape 2013 since I was told there are at least 400 vehicles awaiting this replacement part at this time and I would not know how many failures there were in the past.

VDP TEST

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH on the freeway, the front passenger’s side door suddenly came ajar. The "Passenger Door Ajar" message was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V331000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages). The contact called a local dealer and was advised of the cost for the diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 94,996.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 20V331000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages) and 22V413000 (Power Train) and would like to be removed from the recall distribution list. The local dealer and manufacturer were contacted.

I bought a 2013 escape 3-4 months ago. It had a clear car fax as well as clean on Ford.com. recently the air bag light has been flashing on and as time has gone on, it is staying on longer. I just had it diagnosed at a Ford Dealership and was told it was an air bag sensor, with a cost of over $2000. After digging deeper, I discovered that the Air Bag and sensors were replaced in 2016 under the recalls at the time. I understand that this was done and I am only asking for some financial assistance as I can no longer drive my escape. I know i bought an older car, but Ford will not help with any assistance and it seems they have an obligation since this problem has been happening over and over. i worked in Ford dealerships for over 40 years. Please help.

Ford recall 14s21 was performed on this vehicle in 2015. I currently have a DTC b10a2. The code indicates that the restraint control module has failed. I contacted the local ford dealer, Cavalier Ford, and was told that the item was out of warranty. The issue is safety. The representative that I spoke with did not understand that the item that was the focus of the original recall has failed. Based on the original recall, the air bags and belt pretensioner could fail in the event of an accident. The replacement of the original item does not provide long term protection since it has failed again.

Ford recall 14s21 was performed on this vehicle in 2015. I currently have a DTC b10a2. The code indicates that the restraint control module has failed. I contacted the local ford dealer, Cavalier Ford, and was told that the item was out of warranty. The issue is safety. The representative that I spoke with did not understand that the item that was the focus of the original recall has failed. Based on the original recall, the air bags and belt pretensioner could fail in the event of an accident. The replacement of the original item does not provide long term protection since it has failed again.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon shifting the vehicle into drive, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The contact became aware that the vehicle responded as needed while shifted into reverse. The contact also stated that a message was displayed, alerting the contact of an air bag deployment. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V597000 (Air Bags, Seat Belts) and 22V413000 (Power Train); but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 141,000.

In many words the wires are all mess up the AC buttons off it puts on the air and back wipes and the coolant system keep lossing coolant it smell the wiring have too it twice to where my extender warrant told me to they too 200 hund. For deductible and Labor 641.00 twice and the card is still with electric problems I m a senior citizen on SSI take care of two boys 5 and 8 alone with no help and thas the only means of transportation scare all the time that wires going catch on firer firestone tool my money and wasn't a n le to fix they told it was a recall on my car but why would they do that knowing that .I got really miess over Noow yal hot these vehicles out and only I pay carrots every month fateful and im driving a lemon I dont want to go to press cause don't see it in my heart something has to be don cause yal manufacturers these ford just want to be safe when me and boys are driven and not for the car catch on fire .please help been to rode in a vehicle thas no good cause I don't know what to do ty

Scared to drive took to get inspected felt like Transmission keep slipping and I was told there is a recall on transmission Also windshield wipers won’t go off have to remove fuse was told there is a recall

While driving on a city street at low speeds and good road conditions the rear torsion(stabilizer) bar cracked and broke off its mount and flipped the rear wheel sideways. This was extremely providential in that had this occurred at high speeds the results would have been disastrous for all around and in the vehicle. The incident occurred fortunately right at a location where there was a service to fix it. I want this incident to register with you because it may save someone's life. Please take this seriously. THIS WAS MY VEHICLE AND NOW IT IS MY DAUGHTER'S VEHICLE.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle to the dealer for a routine inspection, the dealer informed the contact that the lug nuts were swollen and needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the vehicle was equipped with a tire replacement kit; however, the swollen lug nuts could cause the contact to be stranded on the side of the road if there was a flat tire. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 71,422.

I was heading west on XXX with my [XXX] granddaughter and about a mile before the XXX exit we heard a loud bang and the car was, like a shot, propelled across the center line into the left lane and heading for the ditch. I immediately hit the brakes and pulled a hard right to keep the car on the highway. After three or four hard rights and lefts I was able to pull the car onto the left shoulder. I thought it was a blown tire but upon inspection they were all ok. The passenger right rear wheel though was on an angle. I called [XXX] and they sent a state police officer to assist. We were very lucky as about 10 seconds earlier I pack of cars passed us and a straggler of the pack passed us about 4 seconds before the incident. It could have been a five or six car pile up. I had it towed and after the mechanics inspection found the broken (as the picture shows) rear upper control arm. The broken parts are available. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Purchased this ford escape for our granddaughter with in the last 2 years as a used vehicle and during a recent visit to a local ford dealer for another issue, they noticed the rear subframe crossmember had rust holes across it. Not sure if it is unsafe to drive due to the main structure looks solid. The front and back of the subframe has the rust holes. No other warning signs except a visual inspection. My question is: has there been an issue with this subframe or any other complaints. or is it normal for this part of the vehicle to wear or without warning. PS: I have a photo

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, the headlights turned off independently. The contact was able to manually turn on and turn off the headlights to see the roadway. The contact stated that the failure was a recurring failure. The contact was using the high beam headlights instead of the low beam headlights. The contact stated that while switching from high to low beam the headlights shut off. The contact stated that the headlights flickered before shutting off. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 138,000.

I HAVE A FORD 2013 ESCAPE. IT FIRST STATRED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE HEADLIGHTS KEEP BLOWING. I HAD TO REPLACE 4 IN THE PASS 2 YEARS. NOW THE BACK BRAKE LIGHTS KEEP SAYING FAULTY. THE BULB POPS OUT . I HAVE TO PUSH IT BACK INTO PLACE. THEN ITS OUT AGAIN. NOW THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM IS FAULTY . PLUS THE TRANS MISSON IS FAULTY OR EVERYTIME I SHIFT THE GEAR INTO DRIVE IT CUTS OFF. I HAVE TO PUT IT TO NEUTRAL AND THEN IT MOVES. WHEN I GET TO THE SPEED 50 OR 60MPH THECAR TREMBLES. IM AFRAID THAT I MAY WRECK.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that after entering the vehicle and attempting to shift to drive(D), the plastic handle on the lever melted. The contact stated that the two buttons located on the shift lever were very loose due to the handle melting. The contact stated that other plastic parts on the dashboard and interior trim panels were not melted. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 153,859.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that on separate occasions while his granddaughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to shift into the intended gear. The contact stated that while he was driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle lunged forward. The contact then stated that he was able to turn off and restart the vehicle. The service transmission light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a transmission shop where it was diagnosed that the fluid was darker than normal and needed to be flushed and refilled. The transmission fluid was flushed and refilled. The vehicle was then taken to another transmission shop where it was diagnosed that the torque converter had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that vehicles were not being taken in until parts were available. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 56,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that there was oil leaking from the turbocharger. The contact stated that the hose had detached, and the coolant had leaked out. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated. The TPMS warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V551000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who informed the contact about a recall and referred the contact to the local dealer. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a claim, and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 118,000.

235/55 R-17 99T This is one of a set of two tires I purchased in Oct. 2021. The passenger side front tire had the same issue discovered a few weeks earlier. The steering wheel started to shake while driving. I took the vehicle to the shop who informed me the tread was separating like the passenger tire was separating a few weeks earlier. Again the tire was more worn on the inside versus the outside tread. The replace tire indicator was still in place. It seems very odd that both tires purchased and installed at the same time had the same issue with the tread separating. I have both tires in my garage if anyone wants to inspect them.